The present invention relates to clutches and power-stop controls, and more particularly to starter drive devices of the fixed speed release type.
Various types of starter devices are known. One type, for example, has a pinion gear which engages the ring gear of the fly wheel of an engine when a starting motor is activated to start the engine. Starter devices of this type are typically noisy because the pinion gear must first mesh with the ring gear to crank the engine. Furthermore, the teeth on the pinion and ring gears are subject to breaking.
An example of another known starter device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,935 issued on May 3, 1977, to Harold R. Mortensen, the inventor of the present invention. This starter device includes a driven member attached to the crankshaft of an engine for rotation with the crankshaft and a driving member connected to the engine starting motor. The driving member has a driving clutch element connected through a shock absorbing element to the driving member. Both the driving clutch element and the driven member have mating dentils which mutually engage below a predetermined engine speed and disengage at higher engine speeds. The disengagement is affected by means of throwout weights under the influence of the centrifugal forces produced by the engine after it has started, which move against the driven member. The shock absorbing element cushions the initial starting torque generated by the starting motor. This starter device is effective and quieter than those previously known.